I was born in Michigan in 1975. I was the smart kid who knew how to read before everyone else, so of course I was labelled a nerd. My teen years were noticeably awkward, but my lack of social development left me with lots of time to study. The result was a full college scholarship, which took me away from my home in Michigan to Ohio, where I loosened up considerably and actually became a pretty cool guy.

In college I somehow managed to develop into the eclectic person I am today, through an interesting series of events that probably only happen to people when they go away to college.  The defining event of my college years would be when I met my future wife Jill. We were married in 1999, and I think it's probably the best decision I ever made...  

I started off my college career with the intention of becoming a commercial airline pilot. (I had wanted to be a pilot since the fourth grade). Eventually I realized that it just wasn't for me and I toyed with several other ideas before settling on history. I interned with Amnesty International USA in Washington, D.C. and with Senator John Glenn's district office in Toledo, just before he made his historic return to space. What a way to end my college career! Of course, like almost every college graduate I know, my current job has nothing to do with history -- I'm a technical support specialist for an insurance company. But I like my job (I probably should have majored in computer science) and I'm happy with my life, and that's what's important.

If you have nothing better to do, I'd love to hear from you.  Tell me what you think of my site, or give me suggestions on  what to add, and even start a conversation about a topic of mutual interest.